Two gas trucks collide in Stearns County, neither explodes
Stearns County Sheriff's Office
Two men had lucky escapes in Stearns County on Monday, when the gas trucks they were driving crashed at an intersection.
The collision happened on County Road 34 and Lakewood Road, about 7 miles east of Paynesville at 2:45 p.m., with Stearns County deputies arriving to find a Lakes Gas Propane truck tipped onto its side with "significant damage to the front side of the truck."
In a ditch about 50 yards from the intersection was a Paynesville Co-Op Gas truck it had collided with.
The Paynesville gas truck driver, a 64-year-old local man, told deputies he was westbound on 34 when he saw the Lakes Gas truck approaching the intersection heading north on Lakewood Road.
The Lakes Gas truck "slowly entered the intersection" where it collided with the driver's side of the Paynesville truck, forcing it into the ditch. Fortunately, the driver was able to keep it on its wheels.
The Lakes Gas driver, a 69-year-old from Albany, told police he didn't notice the westbound truck.
Both suffered minor injuries and were treated on the scene. A number of "appropriate agencies" were also called out for evaluation of the crash scene due to the potential for spillage of hazardous materials.
